The Ballad of Team ANCR - RWBY AU
by Flulouch
Summary: A team of driven huntsmen and huntress enter in at beacon in the same year as team RWBY. They confront some of the trials and tribulations they do with an extra added dump of new character drama and content. This story aims to give a more realistic look to what kids would be like at Beacon and give faces to those silhouettes in the Volume One, with mature language doted through.


Chapter One

The Beginning of The Beginning

A sigh of relief came from the mouth of a tall slender man, he doubled and panted staring at the hands that rested upon his black trousered knees. He already felt tired, after running from his delayed train to the beacon school airship. His first year of Beacon Academy was about to begin. His nerves were finally getting to him as the ship took off, he felt sick and he couldn't tell whether this was because of his mental state or the turbulence on the airship. He leant heavily on his cane as he walked to a seat on the top deck. Most of the seating was situated on the main deck but going there would require using steps and he didn't think he could manage them quite now. He gazed out in awe at the surroundings, he'd been on a couple airships in his 17 years on Remnant, but this was the first that was such long distance. The airship sored over the dense forests of north west Anima, occasionally broken up by towns, lakes and camps.

The place he'd come from was a town in the middle of no-where, Judins, a small dainty little place where an old-fashioned approach was taken to survival, big guns and tall walls. He'd gotten up super early, which was rare for him, and travelled by cart to another nearby town. His junior huntsmen training was finished here, most people called this place the worst place to be taught in the country. A school with very little discipline and that which was there was poorly implemented. Only the people who knew the game placed themselves at the top of the food chain. He'd caught a train from there to Mistral, where he was picked up on the airship. Being one of the first pickups he'd have to wait a while to get to his destination. When he got to the gate, there were very few people he knew, he didn't think anyone from his school had passed the exams, but there were to many people to see if that was the case. Most of the people here were older anyway, returning from a summer off at home.

He laid down on the bench, it was uncomfortable, but he would deal with it. He was so tired and there was about 6 hours until they'd reach the final pickup. He grabbed his cane resting it on his chest. His eyes fluttered as he thought of a bed… He was asleep.

"HEY CYLUS, WAKE UP YOU DICKHEAD" Cylus' mind stirred, his eyes opening about a millimetre. "HEY" This time a shove came from the loud voice. He opened his eyes to see a skinny looking man staring at him.  
"Athanatos?" Cylus said, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. "I knew you said you wanted to be the best, but this is too much." Cylus recognised the man from his old school and home town, he was one of the kids on top. He'd bully bullies as he liked to say, and Cylus would just say that just makes you a bully. Cylus never approved of his old friend's style, but saw it was necessary for the school they were in. However, after three suspensions two of which were omitted because of outstanding practical school work he got expelled and moved to another school.  
"That's right" Athanatos said smugly, Cylus looked around and saw it was much busier than when he'd fallen asleep, he was now hogging an entire seat when most people had to stand. Cylus got up and gave Athanatos a hug.  
"It's so good to see you man" Cylus said, joy and relief in his voice, "I am so glad I'm gonna know at least one person"  
"Yeah totally, the other school was such a slog. Too easy to conquer it." He gave Cylus a toothy grin and they made their way towards the main deck. After a short walk, a flight of stairs and another short walk they managed to make it to the main deck.  
"So you were here since Mistral aye?" Athanatos said bemused at the hustle and bustle of the main deck. "How come you didn't say hi?"

Cylus thought for a second, still trying to wake up. "I went to sleep when I got on, didn't really feel great you know what I mean?" Cylus grimaces overdramatically as if his stomach had just turned a peaceful protest into a riot inside him.  
"Doesn't seem like you are the only one." Athanatos said, half chuckling as a scrawny blond-haired guy threw up unceremoniously.

The ship sored over a massive lake in front of the academy, Cylus and Athanatos zoomed to the window to get a better look at the sprawling landscape, the lake was surrounded by cliff faces staring down into the great blue. Waterfalls littered the eyeline and above that a vast forest. In the centre of view was the academy. It was still far away, but the massiveness of it was not to be understated. Cylus played with a hair band on his wrist, swiftly tying up his green-cyan hair. He thought it looked neater up, but it still had the volume even if he tied it in multiple places. As the ship rocked his black coat swung, his white shirt unbuttoned at the top because it was hot. Athanatos stood beside him his eyes a show of pure want to be at Beacon. Metallic looking bandages wrapped around his arms all the way from his elbow too his knuckles, his fists were together, a sense of challenge emanating from him.

Cylus looked at his old friend and sighed, he placed his hand on his shoulder, "Quite the view, aye?" Athanatos didn't answer, he put his arms back down too his sides. After a minute of the Academy spire slowly getting thicker through the window Athanatos ran his hand through his hair lingering for a second on his forehead.  
"There's going to be studies isn't there, and classes. And it won't be easy to bunk them.", Athanatos gave out an audible sign of anger, "So annoying" He said through gritted teeth.

Cylus chuckled. "I've missed you man"

The ship landed, the mass of students bundled out of the transport, most forgetting their luggage for a second as they stared at Beacon spire and the whole school. The line was slow and tedious and as expected Cylus noticed the frustration in Athanatos' eyes as he waited for his luggage. Fortunately, they weren't at the back of the queue and got out relatively early. Cylus picked up his large bag of luggage.  
"What the hell have you got in there" Athanatos curiously shifting a bag of only average size.  
Cylus stroked the small stubble on his chin and "Hmmmmm" 'ed. "Well just all of my coats" Cylus unzipped the case as he spoke, kneeling on one knee to the side of the path, just on the grass, "and these" He whipped out two metal items. He clicked a button on one of the pieces of metal and it transformed from a small sword into a light weight luggage carrier, along with hover tracks.  
Athanatos was astounded, "I knew you were lazy, but not that lazy"  
"Ah you see my friend, t'was made by yours truly, for it is only lazy if I bought it myself" Cylus returned his posture back from his upright posh one too a more run of the mill relaxed shoulders and spoke, "I took a weapons design course in the academy last year. This was my end of year project, oh and that" He gestured over too a small hand scythe.  
"Yeah me-too dude." Athanatos said mockingly gesturing down to his boots. The high-top laced black boots had a strap that held in place two berettas, one black one crimson. A mechanical system seamed to be just about visible, but Cylus couldn't make sense of it. "So what does that out dated gardening tool do" Athanatos curiously stared at the bladed weapon.  
"You'll see" Cylus said tapping his nose.

Athanatos' eyes caught someone, his attention diverted, and he started sprinting at full speed towards them. Warning lights went off in cylus' mind as, he launched his exhausted body through the air after him. He reached Athanatos about half a second after he had landed, when a strong hand grabbed both of there collars and dragged them at some ridiculous speed toward no where in particular. They finally met a rest, Cylus' head span for a couple of seconds.

"God you showed at the best, fucking time." A woman said, her long blond hair, gauntlets and coat melded into one yellow blob as Cylus' mind regain its foot hold on reality.  
"I'm so glad you got through the exams, all though I knew you would". Said Athanatos, in a voice Cylus hadn't heard being used before. "Wasn't that your younger sister? What's she doing here?" He questioned further.  
"Something with Ozpin, not sure honestly" The woman smiled, giving him a big hug, momentarily merging the yellow blob, with a crimson and black blob. "OHH I'M SO GLAD TO SEE YOU!" She exclaimed excitedly.  
"Yeah, I've heard that a couple times today" Athanatos said itching his temple. "It's good to see you too"  
"Hey, who's your friend? I don't recognise him" She said.  
Athanatos cleared his throat, "Ahem, Cylus meat Yang, Yang meat Cylus"  
Cylus' head had stopped spinning by now, and he started thinking straight, "It's nice to meet you."  
Yang hugged Cylus briefly. "Any friend of Athanatos, is a friend of mine"  
"Yeah me and him go way back, I knew him before he moved. I take it you know our good man Toast from his former huntsman school?" Cylus asked, intrigued at their history.  
Yang grinded at the nickname, "Yeah me and Toast used too be in similar studies, considering our weapons are in the same sort of class." Yang raised her arm, cocking the gauntlet shotguns.  
"Are those shotguns?" Cylus asked, staring at the intricate creation of the shotgun gauntlets.  
"I know, cool right" Yang said, proud of her weapons.  
"Did you get the motor cycle licence in the end, even with your age?" Athanatos said, narrowing his eyes slightly as he changed the subject.  
"Yeah, it's legal in Vale. So Qrow pulled some strings and allowed me to take the test in Mistral instead of in Vale." She explained

They stood there and chatted for a while, most of it was catch up and talk about the entrance exams. But in the end the group had to retire to the hall where Ozpin gave a small speech to the first years. The hall was grand however most of it was taken up by the stage on which a well-presented Ozpin gave a good lesson to a small microphone. They were then given directions to move to the mess-hall as their sleeping quarters for all the first years until people were sorted into a team. Cylus and Athanatos dumped their bags at the side of the room. Great curtains dangled from the high window frames blocking out most of the natural light from the shattered moon. They trundled into an unoccupied area of the room and sat. Cylus lay on his back as Athanatos sat up looking at all the text books given too them on the way in.  
"My god, most of this is common sense if you just fought grimm ever." Athanatos was mumbling too himself, doubtless just skimming through pages on Griffin Grimm and Scorpion Grimm.  
"Dude I am so tired, I'm gonna sleep like a log." Said Cylus rubbing his eyes to demonstrate his point. He stared into the celling and the intricate maze of wooden struts perfectly aligned to be able to withstand the weight that is being imparted on it.

An explosion went of close by, it wasn't loud, but it was enough for Cylus to sit up and look around. A loud sigh came from close by, a couple beds across, a small layer of blue dust was caked on the corner of the mattress and a little on the floor. Cylus crawled over, making sure not to wake anyone. Once he got to the victim he saw a grassy green haired girl carefully fiddle with a Banjo, an axe blade protruded from the bottom and dust capsules were stuck into the top of the thing. One obviously hadn't been tightened properly and had exploded and messed with the switch mechanic of the weapon. Cylus placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and then a finger on his own lip to indicate being silent. The girl's eye brow raised in annoyance at the obvious statement he was making with his hand.

Cylus tinkered with the broken weapon, being sure not to pluck any of the strings. He re-attached the container replacing it with a spare lying on her bed and manually reset the transformation by taking the back plate of and fiddling with some of the wiring. Cylus shuffled closer to the girl.  
"It's fixed," He whispered, "Make sure to do more maintenance of the capsule lock, you had a pre-emptive discharge when you were changing dust, which is not something you wanna do."  
The girl smiled, looking at Cylus with her massive emerald eyes, "Thanks, the names Naepier"  
"Cylus, Nice to meet you. Cya"  
"Laters"

Athanatos sat with his arms crossed after looking up to see Cylus help a girl with a grim look on her face he decided to lay down. He didn't realise how sleepy he felt until that moment. He felt dizzy and suddenly didn't know where he was.

Blood was all he saw in his vision now. He looked up to see a dark country road, crooked trees lent over the cobble road creepily tickling the air with its branches. A cart was crashed and derailed at the side of the road, a wheel missing. The distant screeches of a horse fleeing still ringing in his ears. A dark shape came over him, a Grimm. Its dark eyes and red pupil stealing away any steel he had left in his heart, terror reached his body and his mind scrabbled for him to move. But he could not. Just as the beast was about to strike, the sound of an engine came into ear shot, blurring right into his field of vision. The blade of the chain sword gripped the beasts fur and started ripping of shreds, it swung around keeping its grip, fling the Grimm to the ground. It stumbled, part of its face missing, it went in for another attack toward the wielder of the weapon, the person leaned to the side dodging the swing to his opposite, placing the sword into the Grimms armpit and pressing it into the shoulder joint, it scrambled flailing its useless arms, after a second the arm was flung off and in one swift motion the sword drew a line from shoulder to the opposite side of its neck. The body hit the ground much lighter than it had walked.  
A voice said, "Go get your brother, hide him in the cart." He looked over to the other side of the road as the man with the weapon stumbled. Athanatos noticed a massive gash on the mans back, it was bleeding now. A lot. And soon his back was almost caped in it. He looked to his brother. He was sitting there scared. But suddenly he was screaming, a bear Grimm hunched over the flailing young child, it toyed with its food taking of small chunks while it was still wriggling. Athanatos was on his feet now. He didn't know how he'd gotten there but was too brave to back down now. A Grimm came out of left field a bigger one than the rest, it ignored the boy standing there. A sniper shot echoed through the small insulated brain of the beast as it was penetrated right in the lower abdomen. It howled flinging its arms around in an effort to protect its vitals. Athanatos was hurled against a tree his body crackled, his aura depleted. His mind is clear, his eyes suddenly open. In a few minutes from then, there would be no threat and all he would see is blood.


End file.
